Control ticket

ABSTRACT

A multiple control ticket accommodating both interpretable information and nonvisually-interpretable, but machine-readable information. The ticket is &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;multiple&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; in the sense of having a number of detachable sections. At least one of the sections is imprinted with specified information, while at least one other section contains magnetizable material for receiving the machinereadable information. Illustratively, the magnetizable material is in the form of a coating and each coated section has an aperture for positioning a recording head with respect to the coating. The aperture is surrounded by the coating, without making contact, to facilitate fabrication of the ticket. Notches are provided to facilitate detachment of the sections and lessen the likelihood of any delamination, peeling or tearing that could damage the magnetic coating. In addition, the ticket desirably contains two apertures that are so located that the ticket can be folded over with the apertures in alignment. This facilitates ticket attachment and protects the coating.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Robert C. Dale Wellesley, Mass. [2]] Appl. No. 681,876 [22] Filed Nov. 9,1967 [45] Patented Jan. 5, 1971 [73] Assignee Dennison Manufacturing Company Framingham, Mass. a corporation of Nevada [54] CONTROL TICKET 4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 235/6Ll2, 274/41.4 [51] Int. Cl. 606k 21/00 [50] Field ofSearch 235/61 12M,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,083 10/1954 Marsh 235/6l.l2 2,779,540 1/1957 Hoeppner 235/6l.l2 2,973,410 1 1961 l-loshino et a1 274/4l.4

m13,ss3,440

Primary ExaminerThomas A. Robinson Attorney-Dike, Thompson and Bronstein ABSTRACT: A multiple control ticket accommodating both interpretable information and nonvisually-interpretable, but machine-readable information. The ticket is multiple in the sense of having a number of detachable sections. At least one of the sections is imprinted with specified information, while at least one other section contains magnetizable material for receiving the machine-readable information. lllustratively, the magnetizable material is in the form of a coating and each coated section has an aperture for positioning a recording head with respect to the coating. The aperture is surrounded by the coating, without making contact, to facilitate fabrication of the ticket. Notches are provided to facilitate detachment of. the sections and lessen the likelihood of any delamination, peeling or tearing that could damage the mag netic coating. In addition, the ticket desirably contains two apertures that are so located that the ticket can be folded over with the apertures in alignment. This facilitates ticket attachment and protects the coating.

PATENTED JAN 5 I97! SHEET 1 0F 3 Fl IL -L "Ems-D2 mwazdiummz QNN INVENTOR. ROBERT C. DALE BY 1,5544 fi awmzmuw ATTORNEYS PATENIEU JAN 51% 3553440 sum 2 BF 3 INVENTOR. ROBERT C. DALE fizh w m 3 mm ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JAN. 5 I971 SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTOR.

ROBERT 0. DALE BY 08%; flawmgflzawfiz I ATTORNEYS CONTROL TICKET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a control ticket and, more particularly, to a ticket for merchandise identification, classification and inventory control. v

Many situations make use of tickets which contain information needed for identification, classification and inventory control. Typical examples are the ticketing of merchandise and the control of manufacturing work in process. It is advantageous for each ticket to havea number of sections. One section remains with the item. The others are detached as needed.

When a detached section carries imprinted information, it

can be processed manually; however, it isalso advantageous for each detached section to carry machine readable information so that the processing can be automated.

, With many control tickets the machine-readable information appears in the form of punched perforations. Such perforations are undesirable. They detract from the appearance of the ticket; they also cause confusion; and they sometimes obscure the printing; Moreover, the perforations have to be sufficiently large for correct sensing by ticket reading equipment. There is a limit to the amount of machine readable in- I I formation that can be entered on a ticket of specified size.

Accordingly, it is an:object of the invention to provide a control ticket that is able to receive machine-readable information without disfiguration of the ticket structure. Another object is to enhance the information storage capability of a control ticket of prescribed size;

Still another object is to achieve a'ticket structure which facilitates the entry of machine-readable control information.

. Another object is to adaptthe ticket structure for protection "of stored machine-readable information.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control ticket with atleast one machine-readable section that is readily separable from an imprinted section. A related object is to provide facility in separating ticket sections in order to limit the possibility of damage to the machine-readable information carried by any section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the invention provides a control ticket having separable sections for accommodating both visually-perceivable and nonvisuallyperceivable control information. At least one of the sections is adapted for carrying only visually-perceivable information, typically by being imprinted. At least one othersection is adapted for receiving nonvisually-perceivable information that is magnetically recorded and is machine-readable. Each machine-readable section may carry visually-perceivable information as well. Thus, an imprinted section can remain with an item of merchandise or work in process, while a machinereadable sectioncan be detached and used at each stage of identification, classification, or inventory control.

To permit magnetic recording, each machine-readable section contains magnetizable material, desirably in the form of a coating on the reverse side of the ticket. The use of a reverse side coating facilitates magnetic recording; it also means that there is less likelihood of damage during handling of an associated item; and it detracts less from the appearance of the ticket. Additional protection of the coating, and thus of the recorded information, can be achieved byfolding the ticket.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the position of detachment between two adjoining sections is advantageously indicated by notching the ticket structure. This provides a visual indication of where the detachment is to begin and end. It also provides a starter for the detachment so that there is less likelihood of any delamination, peeling or tearing of any section being detached. Such an effect upon a section bearing a magnetic coating could destroy, or cause interference with, the recorded control information.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each section bearing a magnetic coating desirably contains an aperture with respect to which a magnetic head can be positioned for writing and reading. Not only does the aperture provide registration of the head with the coating, but it also permits a location for the head that makes efficient use of the coating during the reading of recorded information. In particular, such a ticket is useful in rotary recording where machine-readable readable information is written in concentric tracks that are centered about the positioning aperture.

, In' accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the coating is disposed to enclose and approach the positioning aperture without making contact. This disposition facilitates the manufacture of the ticket structure by lengthening the life of the die used to punch the aperture. Otherwise the die could be subject toexcessive wear by contacting the abrasive particles of the coating during the punching operation.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the ticket desirably contains several attachment apertures. These apertures are advantageously positioned so that when the ticket is folded to protect the magnetic coating, the apertures become aligned to facilitate attachment of the folded ticket to an item of merchandise or work in'process.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent after considering several illustrative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a plan view of the front side of a multiple merchandising ticket in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of the reverse side of the ticket of FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagramsillustrating one mode of attaching a single-part ticket in accordance with the invention to an item of merchandise;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating alternative merchandising tickets in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front side-of still another alternative ticket in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of the front side of a further ticket in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5B is a plan view of the reverse side of the ticket of FIG. 5A; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating one mode of attaching the ticket of FIGS. 5A and 5B to an item.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS Turning to FIG. 1A of the drawings, a multisection ticket 10 in accordance with the invention illustratively has duplicate parts 10-1 and 10-2 carrying specified control information. Each part 10-1 or 10-2 is a triplex of three sections. Thus, there are six sections in the entire ticket. In general terms, such a ticket is multipart and multiplex.

Adjoining parts 10-1 and 10-2 of the ticket are interconnected by narrow land areas 11. Consequently, the ticket 10 can be formed from a stock of successively connected ticket parts by severing every other pair of land areas. One kind of severing leaves side notches 12 on the leading and trailing edges of the ticket, as shown in FIG. 1A. Alternatively, the ticket parts of the stock may be joined by an incised line and selectively severed by a blade. Accordingly, the number of parts in each resulting ticket is controllable by changing the sever position with respect to the ticketstock.

When the multipart ticket 10 is attached to an item, such as an item of merchandise, one part 1.0-1 or 1-2 can later be p The specific sections of each part 10-1 or 10-2 are a header h, stub s and a tab 1. These sections are detachable, one from the other, along incised lines l3-a and 13-h. Both the headers h and the stubs s are illustratively imprintable with lines of prescribed merchandising information, including, for example, (l merchandise number, (2 category designation, (3 vendor designation, (4 color and (5 size. The tab t which can be regarded as another header, is also imprintable and illustratively specifies price.

Each header h includes an aperture 14 that permits the ticket to be attached to an item of merchandise. Attachment is by stringing in conventional fashion or by using an attachment mechanism, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat No. 3,l03,666 which issued to A. R. Bone on Sept. 17, 1963.

The presence of an aperture 14 on each ticket part affords attachment flexibility. In addition, it provides a universal ticket part which can be used irrespective of whether the resulting ticket structure is single-part or multipart.

At least one of the headers h typically remains with the item of merchandise to which the ticket is initially attached, but its associated stub is detachable for various purposes, including the machine processing of merchandising information.

To permit the entry of machine-readable information on the ticket structure without what often appears to be the random disfiguration caused by the punched code perforations, as well as to increase the capability of the ticket for storing machinereadable information, each stub s is adapted for receiving machine-readable information that is neither visually perceivable nor visually interpretable.

For that purpose the ticket 10 includes magnetizable material which is advantageously applied in the form of a coating 21 on the reverse side, as shown by FIG. 13. Since at least one of the headers It generally remains with the item of merchandise to which the ticket is attached, the coating is confined to the stubs s.

The coating 21 can be of any of the conventional iron oxide compositions and thicknesses that have been found to be generally suitable for magnetic recording. Such compositions often have a brownish or other coloration, depending upon the oxide that is used. Consequently, the reverse-side location of the coating also limits the extent to which the presence of the magnetizable material detracts from the appearance of the imprinted ticket.

In addition, the reverse-side location of the coating permits imprinting over the corresponding front sides of the stubs s. Printing can take place without adverse affect upon the ability of the coating to store magnetic information by suitable coordination of the ticket material and the printing mechanism (not shown). For example, the thickness of the ticket material can be proportioned with respect to the operating parameters of the printing mechanism, such as applied pressure, to prevent embossing of the reverse-side of the ticket. Any tendency for embossing to occur is reduced by using a hard-surfaced platen, such as of steel.

The fact that the magnetizable material of the ticket 10 in FIG. 1B is in the form of a surface coating 22 also facilitates magnetic recording, since it permits close contact with a recording unit (not shown). The recording unit is suitably positioned with respect to the coating 21 of each stub by making use of an aperture 22.

The location of each positioning aperture 22 with respect to its coating 21 as shown by FIG. 1B is particularly advantageous for circular recording in which a positioning spindle (not shown) at the center of rotation of the recording unit enters the aperture 22.

Each aperture 22 is sufficiently large that any stress imparted to its periphery by the spindle does not produce such a concentration of stress that there is rupture of the ticket material. As the recording unit rotates, code signals are stored in the coating 21, without mechanical penetration or depression of the coating, in a circular track centered at the radius of each head (not shown) of the recording unit. There are as many tracks as there are headsat different radii from the center of rotation.

To prevent inadvertent rotation of the ticket 10 during circular recording, the aperture 14 of the header I: may be used in conjunction with a locating pin (not shown) to hold the ticket 10in place. f

Alternatively, the machine-readable information may be applied by a noncircular recording unit, ri' or both of the header and stub apertures 14 and 22 being used for registration of the ticket 10 with respect tothe recording unit.

Besides being particularly suitab circular recording, the merchandising ticket of FIG. 1A 1 r'atively has a printing format that provides distinction betweeri adjdining groups of equal-size characters, or accentu'at the distinction between adjoining groups of unequal size characters. This format makes use of an offset by which adjoining groups of characters are either raised or lowered relative to the others. Thus, in each of the first and second lines of printing on the header h, the middle group of four characters is aligned below the others. As a result, the groupings of the characters are visually apparent without the need for spacing, special index ing characters, or differences in character size.

An appropriate marking machine for entering prescribed merchandising information on a ticket structure for the kind illustrated by FIGS.,1A and 1B is disclosed in the copending application of Richard Stucci, Ser. No. 681,831, filed Nov. 9,

1967. In such a machine the ticketsjare fed over a bed to printing and recording stations. Feed takes place by reciprocating pawls (not shown) which e rigageffeed notches 15 of the headers h and the tabs t. In addition, the stubs contain edge notches 16 for accommodating a centrally located feed finger (not shown) 4 As the various sections of the' ticket'10 are detached during merchandising operations, there is thepossibility that separation will not occur at the places "desired", namely at the lands 11 or along the incised lines 13-a a'nd 13-h. This is particularly true of the incised lines 13-0 and 13-5 and particularly objectionable if it occurs there sincefi the 'r esultmay bea delamination, tearing or peeling that could damage the coating 21 on the reverse-side of the ticket).

In order that the position of separation along the incised lines l3-a and 13-12 will be readily apparent, a side notch 17 is included at the beginning and at the end of each incised line 13-a or 13-b. The notches are triangular in form, with their bases aligned along the incised lines 13-a' and 13-h to provide a starter for each desired separation or detachment.

The ticket 10 of FIG. 1A can be attached to an item of merchandise by making use of one of the header apertures 14 alone. An alternative mode of attachment, making use of a stub aperture 22 as well, is shown for asingle-part ticket 30 in FIG. 2A. The ticket 30 is the same as either part 10-1 or 10-2 of the ticket in FIG. 1A, and it can be produced from the same stock.

To permit this kind of attachment,'-the header aperture 14 is located with respect to the stub aperture 22 so that the two apertures are aligned, but not necessarily concentric, when the header h is folded against the coatingv 21 of stubs, as shown by FIG. 28. Consequently, a fastener 31 canbe inserted through the apertures 14 and 22 with the item of merchandise, such as a portion of a garment 32 in FIG. 2A, sandwiched between two sections of the ticket 30.

The fastener 31 is desirably inserted through the garment 32 by the attacher disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,666, above.

The mode of attachment depicted by FIGS. 2A and 2B gives additional protection to the magnetic coating 21 upon which the machine-readable merchandising information has been entered. In addition, it facilitates the use of the attacher of U.S. Pat No. 3,103,666 above, with various items, ,su c h as pocketbook handles, for which ticket attachment could otherwise be difficult.

In one technique for fabricating the ticket of FIG. 1B, the magnetic coating 21 is applied to the stub s, after, which the positioning aperture 22 is punched through the stock. Since the coating 21 contains magnetic oxide particles, it produces an abrasive affect with respect to the punch (not shown). Consequently, it is advantageous for the coating to be applied to the stub s so that the area to be punched is uncoated. The resulting structure is shown for a single-part ticket 40 of FIG. 3A in which the coating 41 encloses the location of the positioning aperture 22 without making peripheral contact. When the punch is applied to the stub s to form the aperture 22, it

does not encounter any iron oxide particles of the coating 41, and hence there is no abrasion from them.

As noted above, a ticket structure like that of FIG. 3A is particularly suitable for rotary recording in which machinereadable information appears in the coating on circular tracks. Economy of the coating material is realized by adapting the ticket 40 of FIG. 3A to produce the ticket 40 of FIG. 3B.

In FIG. 3B the coating appears as concentric rings 42-and 43 of magnetizable material, there being one ring for each track. Where only a single track is'required, only one ring 42 or 43 is needed.

A further embodiment of the inventionis' illustrated by FIG. 4 showing a single-part ticket 50 with three sections which are, respectively, a header h,"a first control stub s -1 and a second control stub s -2. The header h is imprinted with prescribed control information in, for example, two lines of characters that are shown in block form with the second line having an offset group of characters. The control stubs s -1 and s -2 have reverse side magnetic coatings 21-1 and 21-2 and associated positioning apertures 22-1 and 22-2. The front sides of the control stubs s -1 and s 2 are illustratively imprinted with headings of the machine-readable information received by the coatings 21-1 and 21-2. The various sections h, s -1 and s -2 are detachable, one from another, beginning at notches of incised lines 13-a and 13-11.

In use, the ticket 50 of FIG. 4 is attached to an item by using an aperture 14 of the header h, and the stubs s -l and s -2 are detached at successive control stations. Consequently, machine-readable information about the item is available at the control stations, while the header h remains attached to the item for identification.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated by a ticket 60 shown in respective front and reverse views by FIGS.

5A and 5B. The ticket 60 is constituted of two control stubs s -1 and s -2 which are joined to a header h. by an intermediate section i. The various sections are detachable along incised lines 13-a, l3-b and l3-c, with the incised line 13-0 between the control stubs s -l and s -2 extending to side notches 61, each taking the form of a wedge. The header and control secv .tions h, s -l and s -2 are imprinted. In addition, as indicated by FIG. 5B, the control sections s -1 and s -2 bear magnetic for use as a booklet ticket in the fashion indicated by FIG. 6. In that use, the ticket is folded along the line 62, so that the coatings 21-1 and 21-2 face the reverse side of the header 1:, and attached to an item by a fastener 63 which passes through the attachment apertures 14-1 and 14-2. The attachment apertures 14-1 and 14-2 are desirably located in the intermediate section i to be in alignment when the ticket 60 is folded. Such folding serves to protect the magnetically recorded control information both before and after attachment of the ticket 60 to an item of merchandise.

While various aspects of the invention have been set forth by the drawings, it is to be understood that the foregoing land areas each of said ticket parts com rising a plurality of sections, aligned sections of each of the rcket parts having a magnetizable layer supported thereon over a portion thereof, an aperture fonned in the ticket section carrying the magnetizable layer. with said magnetizable layer surrounding said aperture without making contact therewith, and wherein the r I land area between the ticket sections of the ticket parts carrying the magnetizable layer is removed along the entire length of the ticket section portion carrying the magentizable layer, so that the magnetizable layer will not be destroyed when the tickets are being separated. a

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein each ticket part contains three sections, means between the sections for facilitating the separation of said sections from each other, wherein the magnetizable layer is supported on the section between the two end sections, and wherein themagnetizable layer extends from one edge of said section to the other edge of said section but is spaced away from the means for separating the sections.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein a two sided feed notch is provided at the end of the edge of each of the two end sections to permit engagement of means for moving a ticket part through a machine.

4. A ticket adapted to be fabricated into a complete ticket, said ticket having a magnetizable layer over a portion thereof,

said magnetizable layer having an aperture therethrough so that an area of the ticket surface devoid of an aperture and free of the magnetizable layer can be seen when looking down through said aperture so that a second aperture can be made through the ticket by passing a punch through the aperture formed in the layer without engaging the magnetizable layer. 

1. An information recording device comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular ticket parts coupled together by land areas, each of said ticket parts comprising a plurality of sections, aligned sections of each of the ticket parts having a magnetizable layer supported thereon over a portion thereof, an aperture formed in the ticket section carrying the magnetizable layer with said magnetizable layer surrounding said aperture without making contact therewith, and wherein the land area between the ticket sections of the ticket parts carrying the magnetizable layer is removed along the entire length of the ticket section portion carrying the magentizable layer, so that the magnetizable layer will not be destroyed when the tickets are being separated.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein each ticket part contains three sections, means between the sections for facilitating the separation of said sections from each other, wherein the magnetizable layer is supported on the section between the two end sections, and wherein the magnetizable layer extends from one edge of sAid section to the other edge of said section but is spaced away from the means for separating the sections.
 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein a two sided feed notch is provided at the end of the edge of each of the two end sections to permit engagement of means for moving a ticket part through a machine.
 4. A ticket adapted to be fabricated into a complete ticket, said ticket having a magnetizable layer over a portion thereof, said magnetizable layer having an aperture therethrough so that an area of the ticket surface devoid of an aperture and free of the magnetizable layer can be seen when looking down through said aperture so that a second aperture can be made through the ticket by passing a punch through the aperture formed in the layer without engaging the magnetizable layer. 